Spark-plug.



F BARN SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 1111918.

Patnted 003:. 21,1919,

nrrnn eras Specification of! Eettcrs Patent.

llatented @ct. 23L, infill? Application filed October 11, 1918. Serial No. 5357,6Ei'l.

character, due to excessive heat, and which will contribute to the eliicient operation of the engine, by supplying fresh air for rendering the initial ignition more certain and more efliectivi; which will prevent premature explosions due to abnormal heating of the electrodes by compression of the engine charge; which will maintain the spark gap clean and free of carbon deposit and contribute to the longevity of the plug by preventing absorption of carbon by the porcelain insulator and preventing fracture thereof by the extreme high temperature to which. it is usually subjected.

I accomplish these objects by automatically cooling and cleaning the terminals or electrodes of the plug, with a draft of incoming air directed against the surfaces of the tern'iinals and by automatically bringing; the terminals forcibly together and then separating them, to mechanically remove or displace deposits thereon by their impact, at least once during each operative cycle oi? the engine.

Still. another object of my invention is to provide a plug which will accomplish all of the above desirable results and which also provides a convenient and very eliicient means for initially priming the engine to render starting more easily to be accomplished.

Other, further and more specific objects of my invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, from a con sideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, Where1n:-

Figure 1 1s a central longitudinal section of the improved spark plug, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

in both the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts. e

5 is the shell oi? a spark plug, threaded at its base end, as at 6, for insertion in the cylinder of an engine, and threaded, as at 7, for the threaded thimble 9 is the por 'celain core having a central or axial perforation extendin longitudinally thereof, as at 10, and enlarged, preforablv to provide a valve receiving cavity, as at 11. A gasket is included betwcen'the sl'iell 5 and the porcelain core and another gasket 18 is inwhereby to properly hold the core in po sition in the metal-parts, as usual in struc tures of this charzuster.

A cap 13 has its lower-edge 16 spun or pressed inwardly over a shoulder 17 of the porcelain core 2) to hold the cap in place, the part 18 being threaded. as at 19, for irserl'ion of the perforate threaded plug 20. A check nut 21 holds the plug in adjusted position with reference to thecap.

'lhe plu 20 is perforated with a relatively large bore, as at 121, to serve as a rece 'itacle for priming liquid fuel, and a relatively small bore, as at 22, to constrict the passage 01 air. The bore 22 terminates in a valve port 23 normally closed by a valve 24-. The valve is located at the upper termii'iatiou of the central stem conductor The stem 2:) is shown to he rectangular in cross section, as in Fin. 2, thereby leaving air spaces between the bore. 10 of the core 5) and the rectangular stem 25. The squared portionolf the stem terminates, as at 26, above whlch portion, as at 28, it is round. The valve 24- is normally held on its seat by an open heh cal spring 29. The stem 25 termmates, as at 230, in an electrical terminal or electrode 1n coimeration. with a fixed electrode 31. ire binding nut 33 threaded on plup 20.

During the. suction stroke of the engine,

the valve 24- is opened, thus drawing the stem 25 and the valve 24 downwardly until the electrodes 30 and 31 are in actual contact. This result is produced by the suction ot'the engine against the resilient tension of tlie spring 2%. Thus a draft of fresh air isdrawn in through the openings 21, 22 and 10, which is forcibly directed against the electrodes 30 and 31', thus keeping the core 9 and the stem cool and cooling the electrodes by the lower temperature of the an taken in, in the manner described. At the same time that the air is drawn in, the electrodes 30 and 31 are brought into contact by the impact of the upper movable electrode 30, with the lower electrode 31., thus tending to loosen or displace any carbon deposit that may be attached to either of the electrodes which the draft of air will carry away into the cylinder.

The air taken in at the plug, unlike the carbon dioxid usually surrounding the electrodes thereof, is a supporter of combustion and the incipient explosion caused by the spark in the presence of the air is greatly enhanced, rendering propagation of flame more rapid and increasing the eliiciency of the engine.

At the end of the suction stroke and at the beginning of the compression stroke, the valve 24 will be seated and close the port 23, and therefore the openings 21 and22, and prevent egress of any of the cylinder contents through the plug.

The spring 29 normally closes the valve but its use is not essential. If the spring 29 were not present the valve would be seated at the beginning of the compression stroke and held closed by the air that would be forced into the longitudinal axial opening 10 and in that event the valve would be closedonly at the time when the pressure within the cylinder is greater than that of the outside atmosphere,

The receptacle 121 in the screw threaded plu -20, is enlarged sufficiently to contain a charge of gasolene or other fiuid fuel, as a means for priming the engine in starting it, as when the weather is cold, or when the carburetor is not working satisfactorily for this purpose.

When the receptacle 121 is filled with gasolene, or the like, it is held therein and not admitted into the cylinder until at the time of the suction stroke, whereby it will be pulverized or atomized by the incoming air instead of lying upon the top of the piston head or run out through the valves as when admitted by the usual priming cock when the piston is at the upper end of its stroke.

When the plug is used in engines having mechanically operated intake valves it is well to delay opening of said intake valves for a short period of time at the beginning of the suction stroke of the piston in order to produce a short air impulse of high velocity through the plug. The spring 29 may be tempered to suit engines havingv mechanically operated or suction operated valves. be just except when there is a vacuum tendency in the engine cylinder as the increase of pressure in the cylinder will maintain the valve closed after being seated by the spring.

lVhile I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of clear disclosure, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the relation and configuration of the parts within the r'fa-i t of the appended claims.

aving described my invention, what I claim is 1. A spark plug having in combination an insulating, axially perforated core, providing an axial valve-containing cavity in its upper end and a shoulder surrounding the cavity;-a cent-rally perforated, threaded cap, having a skirt tucked in edge around said shoulder; an axially perforated threaded plug having two bores with a valve seat at its lower able in said cap, a check nut to hold the plug in adjusted position and a central conductor terminating at'its upper end in a valve to close the port in the lower end of the plug.

2. A spark plug having in combination an axially perforated core with an enlarged chamber in its upper end; av perforated threaded cap fixed to and held by the upper end of the core: a perforated threaded plug adjustable in said cap and having a valve seat in its lower end and a valve in said core chamber adapted to close the perforation in the plug.

3. A spark plug having in combination an axially perforated core with an enlarged chamber in its upper end; threaded cap fixed to and held In either case the spring 29 should by the upper end of the core; a perforated threaded plug,

adjustable axially in said cap and having a valve seat in its lower end and an enlarged chamber in its upper end; a check nut to hold the plug in adjusted position and a valve in the core chamber adapted to close the perforation in the plug.

4. A spark plug having in combination an axially perforated core with an enlarged chamber in its upper end; a perforated threaded cap fixed to and held by the upper end of the core; a perforated threaded plug adjustable in said cap and having a valve seat in its lower end; a check nut to hold the plug in adjusted position; a valve in said core chamber adapted to close the perforation in said plug; a valve stem extend ing loosely through the axial perforation of the core and a spring in the core chamber to normally close the valve.

5. A spark plug having in combination an axially perforated core having an enlarged opening at its upper end; a valve in sutiicient to hold the van-e closed at its lower end. adj ust a perforated said opening having a, stem extending dimove the valve for normally closing the rectly through said perforation; a threaded opening in the core. cap overlying said opening and fixed to the In testimony whereof" I hereunto subuppei end of the core; a threaded plug verscribe my name;

5 tically adjustable in Said cap and carrying a valve seat and a spring in said opening to FOREE BAIN. 

